LessHeadCMS vs. Directus
01In short
Directus is a backend and headless CMS that sits on top of a SQL database and provides REST and GraphQL APIs plus a no-code admin app, Directus Studio. It is distributed as a Docker image and supports many databases, including PostgreSQL, MySQL and MS SQL Server. Directus is source-available under its own licence; free use depends on plan limits or eligibility for its grant programme, and paid plans add seats, collections and enterprise features.
LessHeadCMS is a free, open-source headless CMS written in PHP. It stores content in a single SQLite file, runs on standard shared hosting without Docker or Node.js, and generates database, REST API and editorial interface from a content model written as a PlantUML diagram. There are no limits on users, content types or workflows.
02Side by side
| Aspect | LessHeadCMS | Directus |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | PHP 8 | Node.js application, distributed as a Docker image |
| Database | SQLite (single file) | PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MS SQL Server, CockroachDB or OracleDB (LTS versions) |
| Hosting requirements | Standard shared hosting with PHP and SQLite; no root access | An environment that supports Docker (minimum 0.25 vCPU / 512 MB, recommended 2× 1 vCPU / 2 GB), or Directus Cloud |
| Installation | composer create-project or upload via FTP | Docker image, configured via environment variables |
| Content modelling | PlantUML class diagram, kept as a text file | Data model built in Directus Studio or taken from an existing SQL database |
| API | REST, paginated, server-side sorting and filtering | REST and GraphQL |
| Roles and permissions | Per role, group or individual user, down to single fields and actions | Role-based access control; advanced RBAC in Core, granular RBAC and custom access policies in higher plans |
| Editorial workflows | Approval workflows defined as text (states, transitions, permissions, assignments, actions), versioned alongside the content model; included at no cost | Automation via "Flows" (Core plan: 5 flows, Team: 20, Enterprise: unlimited) |
| Multilingual content | Modelled in the diagram (language field + "translation of" relation) | Translations field type; AI translations in the Enterprise plan |
| Licence | GNU AGPL v3 (open source) | Monospace Sustainable Core License (MSCL-1.0); each version additionally becomes available under GPL-3.0 four years after its release |
| Cost | Free, no limits | Core plan free with 3 seats, 25 collections and 5 flows; Team plan $499/month (annual billing); Enterprise on request; free full access for organisations under $5M annual revenue and fewer than 50 employees via the Open Innovation Grant |
| Hosted cloud offering | None – runs on your own hosting | Directus Cloud as an add-on (from $99/month for Core and Team) |
Directus details according to directus.com and its documentation, as of October 2026. Plans, limits and prices may change – check the linked sources.
03Which one fits your project?
Choose Directus if …
- you want to put an admin app and APIs on top of an existing SQL database without changing its schema.
- you need PostgreSQL, MS SQL Server, OracleDB or another database beyond SQLite.
- you need GraphQL, realtime updates or built-in automation flows.
- you have Docker-capable infrastructure and want horizontal scaling (with Redis).
- you need enterprise features such as SSO, audit retention and vendor support – or your organisation qualifies for the free grant.
Choose LessHeadCMS if …
- your project has to run on standard PHP shared hosting, without Docker or Node.js.
- you want an OSI-approved open-source licence with no user, collection or workflow limits.
- you want to define the content model as a diagram you can discuss with clients, version as a text file and change with a reviewed schema diff.
- you need editorial approval workflows and field-level permissions without a paid plan.
- you prefer a single SQLite file that is easy to back up and move.
04Switching from Directus
There is no automatic importer from Directus. A typical path: recreate your Directus collections as classes in a PlantUML diagram (relations and junction tables become associations), apply the model in LessHeadCMS, and transfer the content with a script that reads from the Directus REST API and writes to the LessHeadCMS REST API. Plan extra time for frontends that use GraphQL, realtime subscriptions or Flows, since LessHeadCMS provides a REST API only.
05Sources
- DirectusDirectus pricing and plan limits
https://directus.com/pricing - DirectusDirectus self-hosting requirements (Docker, compute, databases)
https://directus.com/docs/self-hosting/requirements - DirectusDirectus licence (MSCL-1.0)
https://directus.com/license - DirectusDirectus Open Innovation Grant
https://directus.com/oig - LessHeadCMSLessHeadCMS documentation and source
https://github.com/elverdaderobutschito/LessHeadCMS